Full Summary: The animals hit it big time! What looked like a regular carnival flyer, turned out to be an add for a new animal-based carnival sensation! Can Otis and the gang achieve their dreams of becoming famous and win huge cash for the farmer, while, along the way, learn the true meanings of friendship and teamwork? And what about Otis and Abby? Will they become closer as well? Read to find out!
(DISCLAIMER: I am a huge fan of Back at the Barnyard and I do NOT own it. This is my very first fan-fiction story ever, so go easy on me!)
Without further ado, I present to you...Chapter 1 of Carnival-Struck Barnyard! Enjoy!
Chapter 1: A Typical Morning at the Barnyard...
It was a bright and sunny day at the barnyard and Otis, the white cow (technically he's a bull, but is called a cow because of his...well...udders) with black spots on his arms, legs, stomach, and back, and his friends were gathered around in a crowd, about to play a game of kickball. They felt it was safe to be in the open since the farmer had left to work in the fields that morning. The crowd of animals were debating on who would be the two captains for the teams.
"Okay, people quiet down, I've made a decision," Otis declared to his friends.
Everyone suddenly got quiet and turned to Otis, curiously. Since Otis was barnyard leader they had to obey what he said (even though they don't most of the time, anyway).
"What's your decision, Otis?" Peck, the small red and white, naive (not to mention 'accident prone') rooster asked Otis.
Otis lifted his head and his voice so it would be audible for everyone.
"I say since I'm barnyard leader I shall captain the first team!"
"Okay, so who's the other captain, O'?" Pip, Otis's best (male) friend, a small gray mouse with a slight Mexican accent, asked the cow, from a position on his shoulder (since that's where he is most of the time, anyway).
Otis gave Pip a look that meant: You.
The small mouse waved his hands in defiance as he said, "Oh, no way! I'm not a good leader."
"Sure you are, Pip!" Otis answered. "Remember when you had to take over as barnyard leader? You did such a great job that I felt I wasn't even needed anymore."
Otis' ears drooped and he lowered his head as said the last sentence.
"Aw, that's not true, Otis!" Abby reassured him.
Abby was a pretty tan she-cow with brown spots. She has blonde hair that was tied into a french braid, with a purple bow at the end that gracefully blew in the wind. Abby also had hoop earrings in both of her ears, she had beautiful blue eyes, black eyelashes, and rosy red cheeks, giving her an attractive girly appearance.
"We were all worried about you, when you left to lead the beavers," she finished in her southern accent.
"I know," Otis replied, cheering up. "Thanks, Abby."
He gave her a friendly smile, enjoying the comfort of his best (female) friend. Little did they know, however, both Otis and Abby had a huge crush on each other, but neither would admit it, because they were too shy. Plus their friends would probably tease them about it.
Breaking the awkward silence, Duke, the farmer's loyal white, brown-spotted dog who loves the feeling of leadership, cut in, "Otis, if you don't mind, can I be the other captain?"
"Sure, Duke, knock yourself out."
The sheepdog walked up beside Otis and said, "As my first decree as dodge-ball captain, I choose Pig to be on my team."
Pig was the only barnyard animal that was named after his own species, a plump, pink pig (not to mention a little slow-minded at times).
"Okie-dokey, Duke!" Pig said, as he waddled up to Duke.
"Okay then, Pip-ster, guess that means you're on my team!" Otis said to his mouse friend on his shoulder.
"Freddy, get over here," Duke said.
Freddy was an orange ferret that very often had paranoid moments about everything (whose superhero name being "Paranoid Man"). He also has tempting thoughts of eating his best friend, Peck, because of his carnivorous ways, but he's said to be a vegetarian. Freddy walked up beside Duke and Pig. Otis then noticed that Abby and Peck remained to be chosen, but there was only one open slot on his team left.
"Abby?" he simply said, waving his hoof in a motion, telling her to be on his team.
The she-cow smiled and happily accepted the offer, walking over to Otis and Pip. Then she noticed Peck was left all alone, with a sad look on his face, unpicked.
Abby's ears drooped down in sorrow for the poor rooster. "Otis, what about poor Peck? He has to play too!"
"He can be our team!" Freddy blurted out.
Otis objected. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait! Then it would be unfair teams."
"That's not true, Otis," Duke answered. "You and Abby are two of the strongest animals on the barnyard. Having you guys on one team and Pip is close enough to four."
There was a long silence.
"Works for me," Otis simply said.
"Yay! Come on, Peck!" Freddy said, as he pulled Peck over to Duke's team.
"Alright, let's play some ball!" Abby shouted, excitedly.
Otis and his team lined up at home plate while Duke and his team distanced themselves in the outfield.
"Okay, Otis, let's see how you handle my famous doggy-style pitch!" Duke taunted, as he raised his arm with the red rubber ball firmly gripped in his paw.
"Duke, I'm pretty sure nothing you do around here is famous," Pip said.
"Fine, I get the point. Okay, Otis get ready!" Duke raised his arm, readying the pitch.
He then swung his arm in a bowling motion, releasing the kickball. The ball rolled through the green blades of grass, approaching the makeshift home-plate, a white rectangle that was very likely drawn with chalk. The next thing it met was Otis' strong hoof/foot sending it flying through the air. Abby and Pip (who was now on Abby's shoulder) watched the ball fly through the air, heading straight for Peck. Noticing this, Otis started to run because he knew the rooster was 'accident prone' and the ball would probably smack him silly, resulting in a fair ball.
Peck got under the kickball and spread out his small feathery arms in front of him, ready for the catch.
"I got it, I got it, I-" Peck cried, as he got pummeled by the kickball and was now laying on the ground, dazed "-don't got it..."
The kickball continued to float through the air, until (VERY SURPRISINGLY) Pig came out of nowhere and caught the ball! Otis skidded to a stop in between 1st and 2nd base, mouth agape at the unreal sight.
"What the cud?" Otis shouted, completely dumbfounded. "How the cud did Pig catch that?"
"Ooh, Otis, you got served!" Pip taunted, with a smirk, from Abby's shoulder.
"Did anyone ask you?" Otis replied, walking back to the makeshift home-plate.
Abby was trying her hardest not to burst out laughing. "Better luck next time, Otis!" Abby cooed.
"Ha, ha! Tee to the hee!" Otis said. "I'll show those guys whose boss next time! Go, ahead, Pip-ster, you're up."
Pip jumped off of Abby's shoulder and landed on the soft grass. He ran up to home-plate, ready to give that ball what for! Just another typical morning at the barnyard!
After a long, comical, and exhausting kickball game the final inning (5) had finally come to a close. Otis' team finished with 7 runs, while Duke's team finished with 6.
"Ha!" Otis exclaimed at Duke and his team. "You think you had a chance against my team? We so beat you!"
"Otis, you guys won by a measly run," Duke corrected.
"Besides, Otis, Abby and Pip were the ones that got home-runs in the 2nd and 4th innings, resulting in two each because you previously got either a single or a double before them." Peck added.
"And?" Otis said, raising an eyebrow. "We still won!"
"MAIL CALL!" Badger, the gray mail gopher, shouted from the barnyard's entrance.
"I got it guys," Otis said, walking over to Badger.
When he approached him, he received a blue piece of paper with the headline: "It's the Annual Oedeville Free Carnival!"
Oh boy! Looks like it's going to be costume disguise time for the animals of the barnyard for a crazy day at the carnival! But...could there be a catch? Tune in next time for the next chapter of Carnival-Struck Barnyard!